Dartmoor is getting a new car park.

Planners have decided a field near Cornwood, at the south western end of the national park can be changed into public parking space.

It is in a part of the moor that has become difficult to reach near East Rook Gate and they claim will be a “low key” car park of around half a dozen spaces that will serve mainly local residents.

Dartmoor National Park’s development management committee said the facility is “much needed” since two nearby cars parks closed.

The Harford Moor Gate car park shut following the pandemic, while the New Waste car park agreement with the park authority was terminated 11 years ago.

Walkers from Ivybridge and Cornwood currently now have to trek two miles or more to access this part of Dartmoor National Park.

The meeting heard the lack of parking had an impact on some people enjoying the moor, particularly those with limited mobility or those looking for relatively short walks close to home.

Officers said the authority had been contacted on many occasions by people concerned that parking had been restricted, including from local parish councils and ramblers’ groups.

DNPA member Guy Pannell said there is a clear need for additional parking.

He said 53 years ago when he moved to Ivybridge, there were “jumping off points” to explore the whole of the southern moor.

“It’s with great sadness that these access points have been lost. It’s a very long way to walk if have to walk up to Cornwood.”

It was considered that the proposal would reduce the number of vehicles obstructing farmers’ gateways and lanes near the field.

The low-key nature of the proposal and the proposed natural screening, including a 26-metre new hedgebank, would conserve and enhance the area, members concluded.

The owner of the site, who plans to ask the national park authority for funding for the project, will have to go back to planners if he wants to put up signs or advertising.

DNPA will enter into an access agreement with the owner before work begins.

Peter Harper from the park authority said he thought there would be high demand for the faciliity as there was nowhere else to park to access that part of the moor and some signage might help the landowner manage the car park.

“It will become an absolute nightmare if it becomes popular and I think it will be,” he said.

James McInnes said “I think you are over engineering this, it’s not a 100-space car park. This is a very small car park of 6 to 8 spaces in an isolated area for local people to park their car when they go for walk, we don’t need any signage.”

Member Peter Smerdon said he was glad the farmer had come up with a practical solution to what was  probably “an irritating problem.

“It may be popular for first couple of years, but then it will quieten down,” he said.